Brake control means



Feb. 21, 1933.

A. L. HARPER BRAKE CONTROL MEANS Filed Nov. 25,

2 Sheets-Sheenl l Feb. 21, 1933. A. L HARPER 1,898,625

BRAKE vQONTROL MEANS Filed N'ov. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 un i 55 www@ INVENTOR.

BY NW1/ In," u (Au/Q6 ATTORNEY 2d pipe or casing, the weight of which is still' Patented Feb. 21, 19533` lsiatzsA d` Aia'rnnlt I.. Haaren, or ALTADEN,-cALIronNIA. Y

,Bama come@ Appiication filed Npvemberaaie'as; serial: No. 469,731.

This invention relatesmore particularly to' a safety device for brakes used on welldrillingequipment. n

Within the last few years oil wells have i greatly increased in depth, and much heavier drill pipe and casing have also recently come? into general use k1n oil producing` sections. As a resultthere has been a corre-V spondingly" great increase in the amount of weight to be handled by oil well drilling equipment, making it very hazardous for a small man, and hard work for any man, to operate'th'e rotary brake in common use asa partof oil well drilling equipment. Every year many men are injured and a considerable number killed by what is known as brake kicking which is generally the result of a clutch being thrown in to pick up heavy drill being sustained by thebrake.

Anobject of this invention is to overcome the aforementioned hazards and to makeV it saferl and easier to operate equipment to Y, j, which the invention is applied. 25'- Another Objectis to provide a device for the purpose stated', which'may readily be attached at a comparatively small expense, to

sof

well drilling equipment now on the market;

Still another object of the invention is to so adapt the deviceto well drilling apparatus now on the market' as to render it unnecessary to make any change inthepresent method of'ope'ration, or requisite to re-educate workmen in any way, tov enableV them to properly use the invention. No additional operating levers or new manually operable parts are required. Y

The invention comprises anattachment for present well drilling equipment that may be manufactured at a relativelyv low cost, easily and quickly installed and which is kvery durable and dependable in its operation. A feature of the invention is that it may be easily and quickly adjusted to provide the desired amount of additional braking power to adapt the device to the individualrequirements in thefield.v Another' feature of .the invention is Ithat greater weightsmayrbe sustained upon the traveling blocks withffewe-r lines' strung vaway tocontract the view.

when' the device is equipped with my invention;A thereby increasing speed of drilling operation with In`axiinuml safety. -1

' Other objects, advantages, and features of invention may appear from the'accompany- 5;

ing drawings, the subjoinedfdetailI description and thelappended claims. 7

The accompanying drawingsk illustrate what is at present deemed to be apreferred embodiment ofthe invention. l l

hligure l is a crosssection on irregular' line 1-l, Fig. 2, illustrating only parts provided Vbythe invention, parts being brokenV Fig. 2 is a: plan-view ofv a rotary drum 65 mechanism showingmy invention applied thereto,` parts beingfbroken away to contract the view, Siae of'parts pertaining tothe inventfon being greatly exaggerated with relation to well known parts in connection with 740'1' which they are used, for clearness of illustration. Y

Fig. 3 isa side elevation as viewed looking at/the -lower side of the'apparatus'shown-in Y plan inv Fig. v2.

Fig. 4.- is arreproduction'on anenlarged scale of the right hand portion of Figz, the Lipper portion of the view being broken awayv to contract' the same. f v

n Referring indeta'ilto the drawings, in Fig. 80 2 is seen in plan the wellknown'rotary main drumflwhich issupported by and between jack posts 8 and 9 and which operates' thel vcasing line 10,` (see Fig. 8)"that is wound upon hub A, said drum 7' beingix'ed Vto aV 85y shaft l1. The brake lever l2 is secured to or formedV as apart of the brake shaft 13A which operates the brake bands ltvand 15 which engage'wheels'B and C. To shaft'll` is fixed the'u'sual drawing sprocket wheel 16. 90

`Theabove parts pertainto `well known well drilling equipmen Referring now to the construction of parts forming my invention, in combination there-v n with, thev four main working'units are the 95 clutch 25, together withv the parts cci-operating therewith, the worm drive difi'erential26,

the auxiliary linedrum 27 and the auxiliaryy braking device 28.

- Clutch -25`fco-operat`es with'al shaft 29 upon 100 which is loosely mounted a sprocket wheel 30, and said clutch connects and disconnects said shaft and sprocket wheel. Said sprocket wheel is driven by a chain 31 from a smaller sprocket wheel 32 which is ixedly connected or attached to the main drum shaft 11. Said shaft 29 is supported at one end by bearing standards 29 and 29 and between which 'the clutch 25 is mounted.

' Main brake shaft 13 has crank portions 35, 35 which serve to form an operatingmea-ns for the brake bands 14, 15 and the crank 35 also serves to operate the clutch rod 36 which leads to one arm of a bell crank 37 the other arm of said bell crank being pivoted to one end of a clutch-operating link 38 which is pivotally connected at its other end with the lower extremity of the bifurcated clutch arm 40 that is pivotally supported at 40 from a bracket 49 carried by standard 29.

The `auxiliary line drum 271s connected with the differential 26 by means of a shaftV 45, the outer end of said shaft being supported by a standard 46. To said line drum 27 is fastened one end of a line 48, said line being led around an idling pulley 49 `mounted on brackets 98, and thence to the lower end of an arm 50 which projects radially below and is rigidly secured in -any suitable manner to the main brake shaft 13.

In Fig. 3 is shown the preferred means for Y connecting the main brake band 15 and rod 36 with the main brake shaft 13. For this purpose a small plate or casting 15 is pivot-ally mounted upon the crank portion 35 of shaft 13, and said band 15 and rod 36 are bot-h pivotally secured to said part 15. v

The auxiliary brake device 28 includes a drum 28 fixed to the auxiliary shaft 55, one end of which enters the differential 26 and the other end of which is supported by the standard 56. Said brake drum 28 is encircled by an adjustable brake band 57 `which is kept suiiiciently tight to cause line drum 27 to do ythe required amount of work.

Adjustment of brake band 57 on the auxiliary brake drum 28 may be secured by attaching to one end of said brake band the V.ll-bolt 28" having screw threaded limbs 9() which extend through the flange 89 of an angle iron bracket 88 fixed to the standards V56, 99 in any suitable manner. `Said limbs are provided with adjustable nuts 87 to vary the tension of the brake band 57.

ln operation, power from the rotary drum shaft 11 is made use of and brought to bear upon the main brake bands 14 and 15. This is accomplished by reason of 'power being automatically applied to the downwardly extending arm 50 through line 48 when said line is wound upon auxiliary line drum 27. The

i surplus power is absorbed by the auxiliary braking device 28 until the main brake drum 7 ceases to rotate. I v

When the main brake is applied by destrain which addsto and maintains the braking effect applied to main drum 7. After the slack'isthus taken out of line 48 and additional braking power secured as just stated, drum orpulley 27 ceases to revolve, and drum 28 turns'within its brake band 5 7 until the main braking drum 7 is stopped. The takeup of slack in line 48 and applicationof additionalpull upon shaft 13 isV practically instantaneous.

The force of any kick, such as might cause a dangerous upward jerk ofthe manually operable'brake lever 12, is practically eliminated or checked because drum 27 must be set in motion through line 48 beforebrake lever 12 can rise.

'When an oil rig is provided would be more convenient to mount the sprocket wheel 32 onthe opposite side of shaft llthan that shown in Fig. 3, the parts comprising my invention as vshown are turned end for,endand in that positionthe wherein it line 48 isftrained over pulley 49 mounted in bearing brackets 99 supported by and extending inwardly from'ithe standard 56. In

this position the line drum 27 and the auxiliary braking device 28 are interchanged, as

will be apparent to those skilled in the art. I claim: q 1. ln well drilling equipment, the combination `with the main drum,its casing line,

clutch for causing said main drum to operate v said line,y and manually operable control brake for said main-drum; of means to add automatically to the braking force of said control brake when the latter is manually operated. y l

2. ln well ldrilling equipment, the combination with the main drum, its casing line, clutch for causing said main drum to operate said line, and manually operable control brake for said main drum; of means to add automaticallyto the braking force of said control brake when the, latter is manually' operated, said means comprising a differential operatively connected with said main drum. .i j t 3. In well drillingV equipment, lthe combination with the ymain drum, its casing line, clutch for causing said main drum to operate said line,Vv and manually operable kcontrol brake for said main drum; of a rotatable member to add automatically to the braking force of saidl control bra-ke when the latter is manuallyoperated, anda co-operating differential and braking device to' govern the amount of braking force added by said rotatable member, said differential-being operatively connected with said main drum. Y

4. In well drilling equipment, the combination, with a main drum, its casing line, clutch for causing said main drum to operate said line, andV brake to control saidmain drum; of an auxiliary regulatable brake drum, and auxiliary line drum; a dierential to control the relative rotation ofV said two auxiliary drums7 means operatively connecting said differential with said main drum; and a line operatively connecting said auxiliary line drum and said manually operable brake, to add to the braking force of said manually operable brake.

5. In well drilling equipment, the combination, with a main drum, its casing line, clutch for causing said main drum to operate said line, and brake to control said main drum; of an auxiliary braking device, an

auxiliary line drum, a differential operatively connecting said auxiliary braking device and auxiliary line drum, means operatively connecting said differential with said main drum, and an operative connection between said auxiliary line drum and said 'manually operable brake to add automatically to the braking force of said manually operable brake.

6. In well drilling equipment, the combination, with a main drum; its casing line; means whereby said drum operates said line7 and a main brake for said drum comprising a main brake shaft and means to rock saidk brake shaft; of an auxiliary braking device comprising an auxiliary line drum,`a differential operatively connecting said auxiliary braking device with said auxiliary line drum, means operatively connecting said differential with said main drum; and a line having a radial connection operable by said main brake shaft and operable by said auxiliary line drum to add automatically to the force with which said main brake is applied.

7. An auxiliary braking device comprising a differential including shafts extending therefrom; an auxiliary brake drum fixed to one of said shafts; means to apply braking power to said drum; an auxiliary drum fixed to another of said shafts; means to drive said differential; and means connected to said auxiliary drum and adapted to apply braking effect to said differential driving means.

8. The combination of a rotary shaft; means to apply braking power to said shaft; differential shafts connected to be rotated by said rotary shaft; and means whereby additional braking power is applied to said rotary shaft when braking power is applied thereto.

9. The combination of a rotary shaft; means to apply braking power to said shaft; differential shafts connected to be driven by said rotary shaft; a clutch interposed between said rotary shaft and differential shaft driving connection; means to apply a predetermined braking lpressure to one of saiddiffcrential shafts; and means connected to the other of said differential shafts and tothe means for applying braking power to said rotary shaft whereby when said clutch is operated to drive said di'erential shafts additional braking power is applied to said-rotary shaft.

' l0. An auxiliary braking device for a driving shaft having a brake drum and a brake associated with said drivingshaft; means for operating said brake; and means operated by said brake operating means to apply additional braking power to said brake operated means from said driving shaft.

ll. The combination of a rotary shaft;

means to apply a braking power to said shaft; and means whereby additional braking power is applied automatically to said rotary shaft when braking power isapplied thereto. Y

l2. The combination of a rotary shaft;

means to apply braking power to said shaft In testimony whereof,I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 12th day of N ovember,l929. p ARTHUR L.v HARPER. 

